Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) speedway located in north-central Kentucky, near the community of Sparta, Kentucky; approximately halfway between Louisville, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, and is additionally 70 miles (113 km) from another fairly sizable market, Lexington, Kentucky. History The track was designed to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and has hosted NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series races, as well as the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights races. It was announced on August 10, 2010 that a Sprint Cup Race will be coming to the track in 2011. On September 16, 2007, Kentucky Speedway owner Jerry Carroll attended the Sylvania 300 Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway. Carroll told USA Today that he was interested in purchasing the track and moving one of the race dates to Kentucky Speedway. Jerry Carrol wants to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway However, on November 1 it was announced that NHIS was being sold to Bruton Smith, CEO and chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. SMI Purchase New Hampshire International Speedway Through the 2008 NASCAR season, the track had been one of the top tracks for testing Sprint Cup cars because of NASCAR's testing restrictions implemented in 2005. As a result of these testing restrictions, teams could only test at NASCAR-authorized testing sessions at seven specific tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit. As Kentucky is not a Sprint Cup venue, private testing of such cars was permitted with no restrictions, and spectators were allowed to view testing sessions from outside of turn three. However, NASCAR announced in November 2008 that testing would be banned for the 2009 season at tracks that host races in any of NASCAR's national series or regional touring circuits. On May 22, 2008, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. purchased Kentucky Speedway from Jerry Carroll. However, the deal will not be finalized until October 2008. Current owner Jerry Carroll will still retain a small ownership stake in the racetrack,but the new owners plan to place a Sprint Cup Series race there within the next couple of years.On May 22, 2008, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. announced it had purchased Kentucky Speedway from Kentucky Speedway, LLC.SMI Purchasing of Kentucky Speedway The purchase was finalized on January 1, 2009. Bruton Smith, head of Speedway Motorsports Inc. who is buying the racetrack, said he even hopes to have one at Kentucky Speedway by 2009. However, NASCAR said this wouldn't happen as the schedule for next year is already being finalized and it doesn't include a race at the Kentucky Speedway. There has also been talk that Kentucky Speedway owners might purchase Pocono Raceway and move one of its Sprint Cup Series races to Kentucky. However, the Mattioli family, which owns both Pocono Raceway and South Boston Speedway, and manages the Music City Motorplex, has so far shown no interest in selling that superspeedway. On August 10, 2010, it was announced that NASCAR would hold a Sprint Cup Race at Kentucky Speedway during the 2011 NASCAR season. The race will be on Saturday night, July 9, 2011, and will take the place of the Chicagoland Speedway date, which will move to September and become the leadoff race in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Kentucky Speedway Announces 2011 Sprint Cup Race References External Links *Kentucky Speedway Official Site *Kentucky Speedway Page on NASCAR.com *2008 Kentucky Speedway Schedule *Article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed *Another article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed *Another article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed *Another article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed *Another article on Antitrust suit against NASCAR being dismissed *Article regarding the rumored sale or partnership of KY Speedway with Bruton Smith Category:Venues LTJ have played Category:Links to Wikipedia